rage2
03-24-2009, 10:38 AM
Well, answers are slowly coming out.
McLaren brought updates to the front wing, the diffusor and (Haug: ) ''smaller parts everywhere for more downforce.'' On a three lap qualifying simulation Kovalainen managed to go under the 1:18 barrier at Jerez, but Nakajima did a laptime half a second faster than that still. ''You shouldn't read too much into that. It's well possible that the track had gotten a second faster. What you should be reading into are the statements from the drivers.''
The drivers said the balance was good...Kovalainen also did 8 lap runs with acceptable tyre wear. At the beginning of the test Hamilton had the same experience with a very full fuel tank. However, in comparison with the competitors McLaren lacks grip by 20%. Meanwhile the reasons behind it come to the surface.
In several meetings of the FOTA the teams have revealed information/data about their aerodynamic research, this is to be a basis to work on a savings plan. Anyway, designing/developing the new car it turns out that in 2008 McLaren didn't use their windtunnel and CFD resources as effectively as the other manufacturer teams at all. Only Toro Rosso and Force India were behind McLaren on this unofficial list.
Apperantly the engineers assumed that the first data that their computer models came up with, would be adequate to form a strong basis. Anaylising things, they oriented themselves on the improvements made year after year, new part after new part under the old regulations. In recent years these improvements were always good enough to stay at the (very) front. But doing so they completely underestimated that the new regulations require greater steps in development. This false estimation has lead to the aerodynamics of the MP4-24 not working as they should. This has surprised everyone, not even the team itself would have thought they could miscalculate in such a way.
Haug is a bit more optimistic after the Jerez test: ''We've found a little bit. But our expectations remain modest.'' Knowing what a strong team McLaren is, all of the competirors expect the Woking-based team to bounce back at some stage during the year. ''They don't write us off.''
It's the 2004 season/MP4-19 all over again :(. Wonder when we'll see the MP4-24b?
McLaren brought updates to the front wing, the diffusor and (Haug: ) ''smaller parts everywhere for more downforce.'' On a three lap qualifying simulation Kovalainen managed to go under the 1:18 barrier at Jerez, but Nakajima did a laptime half a second faster than that still. ''You shouldn't read too much into that. It's well possible that the track had gotten a second faster. What you should be reading into are the statements from the drivers.''
The drivers said the balance was good...Kovalainen also did 8 lap runs with acceptable tyre wear. At the beginning of the test Hamilton had the same experience with a very full fuel tank. However, in comparison with the competitors McLaren lacks grip by 20%. Meanwhile the reasons behind it come to the surface.
In several meetings of the FOTA the teams have revealed information/data about their aerodynamic research, this is to be a basis to work on a savings plan. Anyway, designing/developing the new car it turns out that in 2008 McLaren didn't use their windtunnel and CFD resources as effectively as the other manufacturer teams at all. Only Toro Rosso and Force India were behind McLaren on this unofficial list.
Apperantly the engineers assumed that the first data that their computer models came up with, would be adequate to form a strong basis. Anaylising things, they oriented themselves on the improvements made year after year, new part after new part under the old regulations. In recent years these improvements were always good enough to stay at the (very) front. But doing so they completely underestimated that the new regulations require greater steps in development. This false estimation has lead to the aerodynamics of the MP4-24 not working as they should. This has surprised everyone, not even the team itself would have thought they could miscalculate in such a way.
Haug is a bit more optimistic after the Jerez test: ''We've found a little bit. But our expectations remain modest.'' Knowing what a strong team McLaren is, all of the competirors expect the Woking-based team to bounce back at some stage during the year. ''They don't write us off.''
It's the 2004 season/MP4-19 all over again :(. Wonder when we'll see the MP4-24b?